Since I am sitting in the G fund and have been for most of the last two years due to being horrible at timing the market and losing money, I am considering one of the premium services. I have about 8 to 10 years until retirement and I need to start getting better than 2% returns each year. I would like one that basically gives me advise on when to stay in or get out. I tend to jump out at the wrong time only to have the market rise after I get out. Is there any one service better for my situation?
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Considering Premium Service
- Thread starter Boomer01
- Start date
jkenjohnson
Market Veteran
- Reaction score
- 24
Look at the returns of all of the premium systems on this site and pick one.
jpcavin
TSP Legend
- Reaction score
- 97
Invest in C, S, I and lose your your password. No premium service needed. Dave Ramsey recommends 80/10/10 or 60/20/20 in C/S/I respectively.
https://www.daveramsey.com/index.cfm?event=askdave/&intContentItemId=125684
https://www.daveramsey.com/index.cfm?event=askdave/&intContentItemId=125684
Intrepid_Timer
TSP Talk Royalty
- Reaction score
- 72
Good traders trade, bad traders write books and do talk shows. If Mr. Ramsey recommends a buy and hold approach, then why does he also state: "Even though Dave is an experienced investor, he values the advice of his own investing advisor. “I want someone in my corner every day who lives, eats, and breathes this stuff,” he said".
Yes, You Can Make 12% With Your Mutual Funds - daveramsey.com
FYI, averaging 12% outside of TSP is nothing.............in my opinion of course.
jpcavin
TSP Legend
- Reaction score
- 97
Maybe Dave's comment is coming from his advisor. 
12% is better than what you get in the G fund anyway. I simply provided one of many options available without a premium service. When I first started out, I had very little money invested. Needless to say, most of ther earnings were eaten up by the premium service fees. On bad months, I actually paid out more than I took in. :nuts: I suppose if you have a lot of money invested, the premium service fees won't make much of a dent.
12% is better than what you get in the G fund anyway. I simply provided one of many options available without a premium service. When I first started out, I had very little money invested. Needless to say, most of ther earnings were eaten up by the premium service fees. On bad months, I actually paid out more than I took in. :nuts: I suppose if you have a lot of money invested, the premium service fees won't make much of a dent.
Intrepid_Timer
TSP Talk Royalty
- Reaction score
- 72
Maybe Dave's comment is coming from his advisor.
Good point. Since Boomer has 8-10 years left, hopefully that's not an issue. Of course, if he's earning 2% every year, maybe it is. :blink:
Shamus13
Market Tracker
- Reaction score
- 4
I signed up for a Premium Service last month after trying to do it on my own. I knew nothing about the market before 2009 and have religiously followed this site. In 5 years I've done well but I feel I can do better.
I, unlike you, have 25 years to retirement so my stomach for risk most likely will be stronger than yours. The services I've signed up for have been very good at guiding me. I take that info and implement it in a way that works for me.
Try it on a monthly basis if you don't want to commit.
I, unlike you, have 25 years to retirement so my stomach for risk most likely will be stronger than yours. The services I've signed up for have been very good at guiding me. I take that info and implement it in a way that works for me.
Try it on a monthly basis if you don't want to commit.
burrocrat
TSP Talk Royalty
- Reaction score
- 162
only that you have to come up with either the faith or guts to follow the signals.
Cactus
TSP Pro
- Reaction score
- 38
If you are going to use a Premium Service to follow the IFTs religiously, pick one with a timeline you can follow. Sentiment Survey is one you follow weekly and be ready to IFT on Friday. IT's system requires daily reading and you have to be ready to IFT up to half an hour before the noon deadline. At least that is the way it used to work. IT can correct me if I'm wrong. That is too short a notice for folks like me who are still working. My time frame is more like LMBF which only requires you to check in at the end of each month for a potential IFT. But LMBF is not a premium service and you'd probably get better returns with the first two options. Just make sure the time required works for you.
Intrepid_Timer
TSP Talk Royalty
- Reaction score
- 72
My service doesn't require any reading at all, other than the fact that you need to be able to read the alert. I do post a daily commentary with market analysis in it if anyone wants to read it. Some like it, some might not. My system typically gives two buy signals each month, so I think it might help one decide if they personally want to wait for the 2nd signal of a month or not. The email alerts are now sent out out with the signal in them, so one doesn't have to log into TSPtalk to see what the signal is anymore. You can also get the alerts sent to you in a text message. Time is an issue on trade days though, but one has at least 30 minutes to get to a computer, use their smartphone or make a phone call in order to enter the trade. Waiting until the next day usually isn't an issue when volatility is low, but it can be when it is high. Most people find it workable, but if your in combat or a surgeon, it might not work for you.
Anyway, good luck with your decision Boomer! Doing something is better than nothing! Well, depending on the service I guess. I know some that are constantly sitting in the G fund waiting for that next big pullback..........
JTH
TSP Legend
- Reaction score
- 1,070
200 dollars is not a lot of money when you think about the minimum start-up time it takes to figure out what the hell you're doing. Factor in the learning cost (the process where you lose money making newbie mistakes) and the services pay for themselves. IT & Coolhand are well established here at TSP talk, both have extensive knowledge of the TSP funds and how they correlate with the markets.
k0nkuzh0n
TSP Pro
- Reaction score
- 27
premium services aren't just buy/sell signals and/or allocation recommendations. They also provide opportunities to pick the brains and learn from people who know what they are doing.
I actually categorize my premium fees as 'Education Tuition' as opposed to 'Financial Advisor' on Mint.com :laugh:
I actually categorize my premium fees as 'Education Tuition' as opposed to 'Financial Advisor' on Mint.com :laugh:
Kaufmanrider
Analyst
- Reaction score
- 17
If you want to just buy it and leave it, rebalancing when needed, the 20% each has a respectable historic return. It's more like the often preached asset allocation of 60% stocks, 40% bonds.
Do what you feel comfortable with. It's your money.
Do what you feel comfortable with. It's your money.
clester
Market Veteran
- Reaction score
- 37
Mine is free! but I'm just barley beating the G fund this year!
But seriously, you have to be comfortable with the risk of being in stocks. If you will lose sleep worrying (been there) then just leave it in G fund. Trying to catch up now is probably not the best idea. But, you should be at least 50% in stocks. Maybe start with that. Buy in slowly over the next few weeks or months. You can buy 2 times a month. We are close to a short term top IMO so I would wait or buy in slowly.
But really it's you individual choice depending on your needs and risk tolerance. Personally, I don't like following others because if I lose money I want it to be me losing it. Not someone else.
